Matrix Games Forums

2/4/44
 
Sumatra:  There was no appearance by the KB nor any sightings of that mysterious and worrisome Japanese TF south of Sabang.  What is it and where is it going?  The British amphibious force began landing at Padang, encountering mines and shore guns that inflicted a moderat amount of damage on the invasion shipping.  Only two of  my three TFs began unloading and I have about 250 AV ashore; that should increase substantially tomorrow.  The Japanese defense is about 150 AV strong, but I suspect my troops are far more prepped than are John's.  There were a few small LBA sorties against the British ships, but the modest  numbers and CAP ensured that damage was light - a few transports were hit.  I think I'll be able to take this base soon.  The Royal Navy carriers moved west a few hexes and from there sent several strikes against the Japanese merchant ships involved in the Dunkirk operation pulling Japanese troops out of northwestern Sumatra - John's merchant shipping has taken alot of damage here over the past few weeks, but he has so much that it shouldn't really affect him.
 
Vietnam:  Another Chinese unit was set to cross the river and enter Hanoi, so I went ahead and ordered all troops to shock attack.  This came off at 2:1, dropped forts from 9 to 7, and inflicted about 1500 Chinese casualties to about 500 Japanese.  My troops are in good shape to try another assault, so they'll do so tomorrow. The Chinese at Haiphong are well-rested and will deliberate attack.
 
North Pacific:  A quiet turn - the solitary tanker made it to the Kuriles without trouble.  Two  more days and it will make Shikuka.
 
Southwest Pacific:  A small transport convoy landed a Marine Raider detachment at what appears to be an unoccupied Shortlands.  I wish I had brought more troops, because taking and holding this base would be a real thorn to John's postions to the south and east.
 
Australia:  The Japs have vacated Alice Springs and the first Aussie troops will arrive there tomorrow.  Looking ahead, I "assume" John will want to fight for Darwin, but if I take Daily Waters and Katherine, he may decide holding that city isn't really feasible since Allied 4EB would exact a toll.  I will use recon to feel out his defenses.  If it looks like the Japs will withdraw, I'll start my units prepping for more distant objectives - but what the Aussie's will do in the way of amphibious operations I'm not sure yet.

2/5/44
 
Sumatra:  Yikes, I have sacrificed a bunch of transports to keep my Royal Navy carriers further back - massed Jap LBA strikes from Palembang, Singapore, and even Java hit the ships at Padang and sank something like twenty of them; but I think it was too late to save the base.  The Allies have 500 AV ashore while the Japs have something closer to 150.  I'll try for a shock attack tomorrow.  If I can take this mountainous hex without having my carriers hammered, I'll be satisfied despite the cost.  Padang will give the Allies a base in the underbelly of the Japanese strategic resources area.  So all eyes here tomorrow.  The RN carriers, meanwhile, will move a few hexes further west, drawing additional LRCAP from places like Bankha and Medan.  I'm still worried about that mysterious Japanese TF seen south of Padang a few days ago.  I want to be able to sprint for Sabang if the KB shows up.
 
Vietnam:  Surprise, surprise.  The second consecutive shock attack by the Chinese came in at 4:1 and dropped forts from 7 to 3!  The Japs lost 350 and the Allies 740.  I'll try again tomorrow.  John has to be chewing his nails here.  The Chinese deliberate attack at Haiphong came in at 0:1 but resulted in equal casualties (4644 Japs, 4741 Chinese).  I'm hoping the threat and attacks at Haiphong will hinder John from immediately reinforcing Hanoi.  Go, Chinese, go!
 
North Pacific:  More Jap shipping appears to be heading for the Kuriles - Etorufu, a level 3 port/0 airfield - is the likely target.  A stout US combat TF will depart Shikuku tonight under the protection of P-38J LRCAP.  
 
SWPac:  The Allies took Shortlands, but it appears that a Japanese transport convoy is just a hex or two away.  This mini-invasions spread out all over SoPac and SWPac are meant to probe Japanese defenses, to hopefully take a base or two that John won't have the time or desire to counterattack, and to annoy John by creating mini-crisis all over.  I'm not finished probing.
 
Australia:  The Allies will take Alice Springs tomorrow.  The lead unit on the road to Kalgoorlie is about four days away from that base.

2/6/44
 
Sumatra:  Allied forces captured Padang on a 4:1 shock attack that inflicted light casualties (about 500 Japanese to 250 Allies).  The Jap garrison is withdrawing through the jungle in the general direction of Palembang.  Padang is sort of an isolated outpost - "out on a limb" - but I will work hard to improve the airfield and port so that they can serve as a big enough base to permit strikes against the oil facilities of Palembang and eventually provide air cover as the Allies continue moving east.  This brings and end to the first two operations - the first liberating the NW coast of Sumatra and its four bases, and the second to take Padang.  I'm not sure where the Allies will go next, but I have some ideas.  Meanwhile, the RN carrier TFs are heading toward Sabang.

Vietnam:  Lo and behold, the Chinese took Hanoi following the third successive shock attack.  This one came off at 11:1, overcame three forts, and resulted in about 1100 Chinese and 500 Japanese casualties.  The garrison is retreating south on the road to Hue.  This leaves the Japanese base at Haiphong surrounded.  I'm not sure yet what I'll do next - send a stout army toward Hue or first concentrate on picking up Haiphong.  I'm leaning toward the latter.  The taking of Hanoi came as a very pleasant surprise.

North Pacific:  Lots of Jap shipping at Kunashiri - probably picking up units for the next amphibious operation.  The Allied combat TF from Shikuka will try to raid the base tonight.

SWPac:  I think a Mini-KB is somewhere in the Shortlands area.  I have several TFs to the south, so I'm scattering them.

Australia:  The Allies took a vacant Alice Springs.  Next stop:  Tennant Creek.  To the South, the leading Aussie units are 180 miles east of Kalgoorlie.

Points:  The Japanese lead is down to a little over 14,000.  The Allies are making decent progress now, with alot more points to be picked up.  What I want to avoid is losing alot of points (mainly battleships or carriers) for nothing in return.

2/7/44
 
Sumatra:  Jap LBA hit the damaged merchant ships at Padang and finished off five or six more.  Most of the Allied land units are concentrated at Medan.  They will pull back to Sabang where they will eventually board transports.  The Allies have come up with a plan for the next phase in this area, but I'll keep it close to the vest for now.  Recon sighted at least one Jap carrier (Ryuho) heading for the straits between Java and Sumatra.  This was almost certainly the TF spotted far south of Sabang a few days ago.

Jap Carriers:  By sending out that Mini-KB south of Sabang, John prompted me to move my carriers away from the transports heading to Padang, which resulted in the loss of many merchant ship (although not before they landed enough troops to take the base).  That was a real plus for John.  But I can't believe he has again separated his carriers.  In addition to this Mini-KB, there is another operating south of the Kuriles, and I think a third may be in the Solomons area.  The more dispersed his carriers, the better for the Allies from my perspective.

Vietnam: Now that the Chinese have taken Hanoi, my immediate focus is going to be taking Haiphon.  I have reinforcements on the way, but it may be ten days before they arrive.  Meanwhile, a 1000 AV force from Hanoi will move south toward Hue just to maintain the appearance of a threat in that direction.

North Pacific:  The Mini-KB near the Kuriles badly damaged a tanker.  The Allied surface combat TF (CA, CLAA, CL, and 7 DDs) tangle with a Jap combat TF (CL and 6 DD) at Kunashiri.  Over two rounds, the Allies sank five DDs and damaged the other and the CL.  One Allied DD (damaged and then hit by 20 Jills from Wakkanai) will probably go down.

SWPac:  SigInt reported a Jap unit on a Maru heading for Shortlands.  I'm trying to get more troops there as fast as I can, but I'm probably too late to hold the base. I believe there is a Mini-KB operating somewhere in this area.

Australia:  Troops are moving NW on the road out of Alice Springs.  I wonder if John will try to make a stand at Tennant Creek?  Lead Aussie troops down south are 120 miles from Kalgoorlie.  I don't know if that base is occupied.

2/8/44
 
Jap Carriers:  More confirmation that John has divided his carriers.  Shikoku was sighted near Batavia (close to where Ryuho was seen yesterday); also, a CV was sighted at Tulagi (this sighting was due I guess to proximity to my transports, because I don't have recon anywhere in the vicinity); and, as noted before, a Mini-KB is near the Kuriles, and it just finished off the damaged tanker.  I can't believe John has divided his carriers and sent some so far away, but I think I can take advantage of the situation.
 
Sumatra:  Things are settling down now as there are no longer any contested hexes - both sides are adjusting to the new situation.  I think John is trying to get troops to southwestern Sumatra and perhaps Java, and also he has a ton of troops on the Malay Peninsula, where he has a ton of bases.  How will he distribute his forces there?
 
Vietnam:  The troops heading down the road toward Hue will advance one hex out of Hanoi tomorrow.
 
North Pacific:  A quiet turn, although John had a stray AK and MSW north of the Kuriles and both were sent to the bottom by bombers from Shikuka.
 
SoPac:  The Japs reclaimed Ha'apai.  My hold on Raratonga is equally tenuous, so John can take it if he wants to.
 
SWPac:  A small detachment of 40th Army Division is unloading at Shortlands, so my AV ashore is now something like 40.  More transports are 1-2 days away.  But, as noted, a carrier was reported at Tulagi.  So my transports are probably in for a spanking.
 
Australia:  Aussies continue to move toward Tennant Creek and Kalgoorlie.
 
Stategic Summary:  John's aircraft sank alot of British ships at Padang, but other than that it has been a very good week or two for the Allies all over the map.  In CBI, the Allies have taken what they wanted on the island of Sumatra.  The British will improve the Sumatra bases and ramp up RAF activities from there.  Meanwhile, the Brits will continue to mount amphibious operations, but I don't want to disclose my plans yet.  The Chinese have blown a hole in the Japanese line in Vietnam and John will have to send troops to Saigon.  In the North Pacific, things are relatively quiet at the moment; the Allies are building bases and resting troops and eventually will reinforce and resupply this area.  The Allies have mounted many small, successful amphibious operations in SoPac and SWPac that seized several unoccupied island bases.  The Japs have reclaimed two of these, but eventually I'll commit enough troops so that I can hold a base or two and then begin additional operations.  In Australia, I'm beginning to think that John doesn't plan an all-out effort to halt the Aussie's.  If that's true, the Aussies should reclaim most of their bases within a few weeks.  Then, the Aussies will consider some amphibious operations of there own. 

2/9/44 and 2/10/44
 
Jap Carriers:  Reconnaissance patrols report at least two Japanese carriers at Palembang.  I assume this would be Shokaku and Ryuho, recently sighted just to the south.  When I first sighted what I suspected to be a Jap carrier force far to the south of Sabang about a week ago, I wondered what it was and where it was going.  I think John must have positioned this force to hit Allied ships at Sabang, but eventually decided it was too risky given the proximity of the fiestly British carriers plus land-based air.  In effect, I got the best of both worlds - Jap carriers are now dispersed in several widely separated locations around the map, plus the RN did not get hammered as I had feared might happen.  It will take me a little while to arrange things, but I will take advantage of this carrier dispersal.
 
Sumatra:  Recent offensive operations having wrapped up, I'm in an in-between stage shuffling forces around.  I'll be ready to move again in a week or ten days.
 
Vietnam:  Four Chinese units moved a hex south of Hanoi and launched a deliberate attack against the Japanese "stack" that recently retreated from the city.  The attack came off at 1:1 and didn't budge the Japs.  I'll send reinforcements; but this is really just a sideshow as I prepare to make a concerted effort to take Haiphong.
 
North Pacific:  Over the past two days, John has landed part of most of a mixed brigade at Onnekotan Maru (just south of Paramushiro), but winter Arctic conditions have had the desired effect - John has 7,000 troops ashore but the AV is zero as best I can tell.  I'm sending some reinforcements and a combat TF as I really don't want to lose this hex - the base is nothing now, but can be built to rival (and therefore silence) Paramushiro.
 
SWPac:  The Allies landed a stout part of 40th Army Divisions at Shortlands at a cost of four AKs.  I'm not sure it's enough, but it will force John to make a much larger commitment to wrest the base from Allied control.
 
Australia:  The Allies reclaimed Kalgoorlie on the 10th.  I suspect that the rest of southwestern Australia has been vacated (perhaps long ago).  In Central Australia, the Aussie army continues to move toward Tennant Creek.
 
Points:  Japs 50,267; Allies 36,348.  The spread just dropped below 14,000.  That's a decrease of 1,000 in about two weeks - good progress considering nothing major has happened during that time.  There are still about 1300 points to be gained in Australia, plenty in the Pacific, and alot more when the Allies ramp up strategic bombing, so I think there's a chance to seriously reduce the difference over the next few months.
 
 
 
 

2/11/44
 
Japanese Carriers:  I noted in my last post that I thought I might take advantage of the dispersal of the Japanese carriers.  Well, it happened sooner than I expected and in a different way.  My plan was to send a large supply and reinforcement convoy from Midway to Sikhalin Island.  The convoy actually left Midway about three days ago with protection provided by three CVEs - not enough to guard against the KB, but probably adequate to stave off a Mini-KB, at least until I could rendezvous with a larger carrier force out of Shikuka.  Lo and behold, John had yet another Mini-KB, this one NW of Midway.  The two forces collided with the Allies getting the better of things - CV Katsuragi took four torpedoes (evenly distributed between two strikes).  She's badly damaged (the Japs lost something like 27 Jills to Ops, meaning they couldn't land on heavily-damaged Katsuragi) and will probably go down.  CAP over this carrier only had 7 Zekes. The Japanese counter-strike managed to put a single TT into CVE White Plains, which will now return to Midway with moderate damage.

North Pacific: So now John knows that I have a large convoy with some CVEs between Midway and Sikhalin Island.  He can't afford to let it get through, so I think he has to sortie his available carriers. What do I do?  In the short term, my TFs will head west in hopes of picking off Katsuragi (and in hopes of not blundering into something more powerful).  After that I'm not sure - my convoy may head home or may try to link up with the main American carrier force out of Shikuka (where I've formed four TFs each comprised of a fleet CV and a CVL).  At Onnekotan Shima, John saw my combat TF coming so moved his transports out of the way.  Jap strike aircraft from Paramushiro put a TT into CA Wichita.

SoPac/SWPac/Australia/Sumatra:  No major changes from the previous post.

Vietnam:  The Chinese tried a deliberate attack at Haiphong.  This came off at 0:1, but the casualty numbers were encouraging:  Japs 7765/145/6 to 3845/14.  The Allies will take this base unless John reinforces soon (even then he may be out of luck, because four or five more big Chinese units 100% prepped for Haiphong are on the way and should arrive in about ten days).

2/12/44
 
CenPac/NoPac:  My transports TFs and CVE TF moved west hoping to find and destroy crippled CV Katsuragi.  There was no sign of her, so I feel sure she was scuttled or sank.  That would explain not sighting her, nor sighting her escorts, which with her gone would have moved west much faster than my ships.  Now comes a dicey situation - the Japs know I have a large transport convoy on a NW heading about 750 miles NW of Midway, covered only by a few CVEs.  John has dispersed his carriers all over the map, but I think he'll pull everything together he can and send it after my ships.  In turn, I've formed a carrier TF at Shikuka and it moves out tonight to rendezvous.  Who will win the race?  This convoy is critical for me - get it to Sikhalin Island and I think it absolutely eliminates any chance the Japs would have of retaking the island.  It also will help me round out the offensive capabilities of the island (engineers to increase the build rate for the airfields).  It also gives me some troops to spread around the Kuriles.  So the success or failure of this convoy is a major question now.  Too, the departure of my carriers may embolden John to ramp up his attacks on my Sikhalin Island bases.  I think my carriers and the transport convoy could rendezvous in just four or five days.  This will be interesting.

Australia:  It appears that the Japs have vacated southwestern Australia.  So the Allies will pick up alot of points at no cost.  I wonder how much John expended in supplies to build up these bases?  To the north, the lead stack of Aussie troops is three or four days away from Tennant Creek.  It's beginning to look like the Japs intend to vacate northwestern Australia too.  Good.

Sumatra:  The Allies continue to marshall forces for the next move.  The Japs are using barges to Dunkirk troops stranded in western Sumatra.  I'm trying to hit the barges with low-flying fighter bombers and a DD TF, but it's like waving a flyswatter in a sky full of bats.  I'm not accomplishing much.  Jap shipping is filling the seas in the vicinity of Palembang and Batavia.  I think John has determined that there is a grave threat to this region and he's scrambling to get men there.  He's looking the wrong way.

Vietnam: The Jap stack that retreated from Hanoi seems to be retreating toward Hue. I'll shock attack tomorrow and see if I can shoo them down the road. The first reinforcement for Haiphong is two hexes away. Another week and the Allies should be able to press that base hard.

2/13/44 and 2/14/44
 
CenPac/NoPac:  The race continues as Allied CVs move SE from Shikuka to rendezvous with the mammoth supply/reinforcement convoy heading NW from Midway.  The CVs were slowed for some reason, but used the delay to get in two strikes against Japanese transports executing a Dunkirk to extract the disrupted brigade that invaded Onnekotan Shima.  I think the Japs will lose 15-20 transports.  The CVs ended the second day due south of Onnekotan.  The supply/reinforcement convoy is 900 miles southeast.  Probably two more days to the point zero rendezvous.  Are the Jap carriers coming?  I'm pretty worried about this.  Other transport convoys are using the "clutter" to head to the Aleutians, and to head to and from Iwo Jima.
 
SoPac:  More troops are arriving at Raratonga, giving me a little stouter presence on that island.  I'd like to hold it.
 
SWPac:  I forgot to mention that I did a little shoe-string invasion of Luganville a week or so ago and found it occupied.  John is still trying to wipe out my little force.  Up at Shortlands, I have about 95 AV ashore so John has brought in reinforcements.  I have another AK that's about to give Buin a try.  These are small raids designed to sort of distract John, but I also hope that pressing needs elsewhere might lead him to ignore one of these invasions long enough that I can really get a firm hold on the bases.
 
Australia:  The Aussies are two hexes from Tennant Creek and something like five from Perth.  All indications are that the Japs are withdrawing and will yield Australia without further fight.
 
Sumatra:  The Allies continue to organize for the next operation.  The Japs loaded up the airfield at Georgetown, so Allied LBA hit the airfield destroying about 24 aircraft on the ground (only the smaller of my two bases ordered to attack launched their aircraft; the bigger base - Rangoon with Liberator IIIs - took the day off).
 
Vietnam:  Still awaiting reinforcements in order to attack Haiphong, but alot of merchant ships were spotted at Hong Kong a few days ago, so the Allies switches all B-25s in eastern China to naval attack on the 13th and they scored well, hitting something like 10-15 transports.
 
Jap Carriers:  No sign of them at the moment, but the elements to the far south (vicinity Palembang a few days ago) are too far away to interfere with my resupply mission to Sikhalin Island.  No news about Katsuragi either.

Thinking through the rendezvous between my transport convoy and the U.S. carrier fleet, they are presently 900 miles apart in the North Pacific.  The two are closing at a rate of about 420-480 miles per day, meaning that they will meet day after tomorrow.  That means tomorrow is the last day the transports will be essentially unprotected (except for two CVEs).  Will the Japs "thread the needle" and strike a the last opportune moment, or not? 

Nope, the Japanese were the Rodney Dangerfields of WWII in that if it wasn't for bad luck they would've had none at all.  Well maybe John could get lucky, but he'll probably intercept when your CVs are there.  He also could anticipate you rushing south for this convoy and hit the denuded bases instead.

Sooooo many possibilities, that's what make WITP PBEM so great.

Keep going Canoerebel, your thrusts must be causing John nightmares about where to commit - make him run around.
 
By now you should have a large air transport force, dont forget to use them to fly in reinforment troops. eg, base them at Sabang to fly into Padang -Benkolen etc or fly troops from Lunga to the Shortlands. You get plenty of reinforcements so the can be used up.

2/15/44 and 2/16/44
 
North Pacific:  The American carriers TFs and the transport convoy have rendezvoued south of Kiska Island and will now make for Sikhalin Island.  No appearance yet by Japanese carriers, but the convoy will be an awfully tempting target for John.  It will take five or six days for the combined TFs to make it "home."  A few smaller TFs are now making for Adak and Kiska. (Note to Tocaff:  I left more carriers at Sikhalin Island than I took with me, so that base is well protected). 
 
SWPac:  The Allies did a little shoestring invasion of Buin and took the base.  (Note to Jeff:  Can't use air transport to reinforce, because my closest bases are Townsville and Auckland. 
 
Australia:  Lead Aussie units less than 120 miles from Tennant Creek, and about 240 from Perth.
 
Sumatra:  The Allies continue to shuffle forces and organize for the next move.
 
Vietnam:  A reinforcing unit was set to cross the river into Haiphong, so I set all the other units there to deliberate attack.  It came off at 0:1 and cost the Japs 3125/44/5 to 7765/11.  So that wasn't very successful.  Another five or six units are on the way.
 
China:  John is doing the usual Jap routine of training his aircraft by hitting isolated units.  I put together some fighters to ambush one such Jap raid on the 15th.  About seventy fighters (mainly P-38Gs) faced well over 200 Japanese aircraft, shooting down over 100.  Not a single Allied fighter was lost.  Overall on that day, the Japanese lost 156 aircraft, the Allies 36.

China: John is doing the usual Jap routine of training his aircraft by hitting isolated units. I put together some fighters to ambush one such Jap raid on the 15th. About seventy fighters (mainly P-38Gs) faced well over 200 Japanese aircraft, shooting down over 100. Not a single Allied fighter was lost. Overall on that day, the Japanese lost 156 aircraft, the Allies 36.

I hope you plan to make this a constant activity. It will give him pause when he cannot rotate in newly trained squadrons to the front lines.

SWPac:  The Allies did a little shoestring invasion of Buin and took the base.  (Note to Jeff:  Can't use air transport to reinforce, because my closest bases are Townsville and Auckland. 
 
OK, I thought you had Lunga.
 
I like the China Air Ambush[8D]

2/17/44
 
For the past few days, John has jumped right on the turns I send and gets them back right away.  That usually means that he is really interested in something going on.  Given the importance, size, and "juiciness" of my convoy, I suspect he's coming after it.  We'll see.  (Funny, isn't it, that when you spend so much time with an opponent you can pick up "signals" from little things like how fast he turns around a game turn).

North Pacific:   The transports and carriers have rendezvoued.  John is hot on their trail, with both recon aircraft (from his Aluetians bases, Paramushiro, and Japan proper) plus Glen-equipped subs.  American DEs damaged I-21.  John had two unprotected transport convoys to the south (carrier strike aircraft finished off five of them). What are they doing out here in the middle of nowhere? I sure hope John isn't intentionally soaking up carrier air strikes. The convoy will only move two hexes tomorrow, giving time for the last remaining stragglers (a transport TF) to join.  To create a little "confusion," I've formed another carrier convoy at Shikuka - CV Bunker Hill and two CVLS - and it will steam NE and take station between that base and Paramushiro.  It probably won't go any further as it is low on fuel, but it should create some doubt in John's mind as to whether I intend to merge the two carrier forces.  Further east, a transport convoy (with engineers) has arrived at Kiska Island.  A second, with supplies, is a day or two away.  A third, with two Corsair squadrons, will arrive at Adak Island tonight.  More, with supplies, are much further south.  Where are John's carriers?  Will he hit my big convoy?  If I was him, I would if I could.

SWPac:  The Japs reclaimed Shortlands, although a small Allied combat TF (four DDs and a DMS) met with a small Jap combat TF (two DDs) sinking one and crippling the other.

Australia: It looks like John intends to make a stand at Tennant Creek.  He has about 65,000 troops there.  My army may be big enough to take the base anyhow, but if not I'll use armor to try to flank his troops.  Further south, Aussie units should make Perth in two or three days.  I think it is vacant.

Sumatra:  A huge Jap air raid against Padang.  The Spitfires and Thunderbolts put up a decent fight but were overwhelmed by numbers.  John now has a large army at the base to the east, but that suits me.  He's garrisoning a base that I don't have any intention of taking anytime soon.  Allied troops are loading at Sabang.  It'll be a few more days before this next amphbious operation gets under way.

Vietnam:  In another week to ten days, the reinforcements should arrive to allow the Allies to really press Haiphong.

China:  The Japs have been using Chinese units for air raids for months (really the whole game).  For quite some time, I had to just smile and take it because I transferred several P-38 squadrons from China to Hokkaido back when I still held that island (those units are now at Shikuka providing protection for the American carriers).  Over the past few weeks, though, I have begun transferring many small British, Dutch, and American fighter squadrons to China to cover some of the bases.  Then, a few days ago, a big P-38G squadron arrived at Karachi and it too went to China.  So now I have enough fighters to cover most of my bases.  Hopefully I can seriously reduce John's aircraft training mission routine.

North Pacific Map, Feburary 17, 1944 (I apologize for the over-size, but thought the entire width would be of interest). The big question is - will the KB strike?

2/18/44
 
John turned around this last turn in record time.  I'm almost positive something "big" is up.  If the KB is going to hit my supply/carrier convoy, tomorrow will be the last optimal day, because the next day I should be within LRCAP of P-38Js from Shikuka. 
 
North Pacific:  No sign of the KB; as noted above, in two more days the convoy arrives within range of LRCAP from Shikuka.  I think this convoy represents a "clincher" in the game.  For the past 1.5 months, I've sweated how to get a convoy there - the first half of its journey would be exposed to strikes from the KB; the second half it would have cover from American carriers, which would also be at risk; and while the carriers were absent I feared a big Japanese strike against Sikhalin Island.  So far none of those fears have transpired.  The dispersal of Japanese carriers gave me the confidence to send the convoy in the first place, and the damaging (or sinking) of CV Katsuragi added to my resolve.  If this convoy makes it to Sikhalin Island, it really firms up my position there, for it carries a great deal of supplies, fuel, engineeres, and several RCTs.  These reinforcements should eventually allow me to send some of my carriers "down south" to help out in that area.
 
SWPac:  The Japs are landing at Buin and will retake that base shortly.
 
Australia:  The Japanese garrison at Tennant Creek will number more than 80,000 troops.  I'm detailing two armored units to try to flank this position.  The main body of the Aussie army ought to arrive at Tennant in two days.  The advanced Aussie unit should reach Perth tomorrow.
 
Sumatra:  The amphibious force at Sabang should be ready to sail tomorrow.  John is gathering a truly massive army at Benkholen (on the south Sumatra coast east of Padang).  From the Allied perspective, I can't imagine a better place for them to be.
 
Vietnam/China:  Quiet today.

2/19/44
 
Supply/Reinforcement Convoy:  These TFs moved to a hex just south of Paramushiro Jima.  The KB did not show up and it appears that John pulled all serviceable aircraft from the base after yesterday's raid by B-17s.  These factors lead me to believe that the KB will not strike.  Tomorrow, the convoywill be three hexes closer to Shikuka and therefore will benefit more from LRCAP.  Here's what the convoy is bringing (it's alot, and it's so important that the success - thus far at least - of this convoy has given me almost the same feeling of accomplishment as winning a major carrier battle):
 
Fuel:  228,000 tons fuel (plus several AOs)
Supplies:  273,000 tons supplies
Aircraft:  One squadron Corsairs (I have plenty of long-range fighters on Sikhalin Island, but not enough of these)
Infantry:  Four RCT (one for Enorufo, one for Onnekotan Jima, and two for Sikhalin Island)
Aviation Regiments:  Two
Base Force:  One
HQ:  V Marine Corps
CD:  14th Marine
Artillery:  3 Regiments
Engineers:  One EAB and one SeaBee
 
This convoy eliminates my greatest weakenss:  lack of fuel.   My ships were so low on fuel that I had to avoid any but absolutely critical sorties to make sure I had enough to allow my carriers to sail south and rendezvous with the transports.  For that reason, I didn't really put up a fight when the Japs invaded Kunashiri (partly because I mistakenly though this island was in a cold zone which would have neutered offensive operations).  With my ships fueled, however, I won't have to be so careful in the future.  With a full fleet of carriers and combat ships at Shikuka, I don't think John can successfully invade my Kuriles bases.  And with the engineers, I can afford to build up the airbase at Onnekotan, which should neutralize Paramushira.
 
So that's why I thought this convoy so crucial.
 
SWPac: The Japs reclaimed Buin and a Mini-KB finished off the damaged AK that dropped troops there.
 
Australia:  I'm waiting for all the infantry units to arrive in the hex adjacent to Tennant Creek before moving forward.  In the meantime, two armored units have moved 30 miles on their route to try to isolate the base.  The Allies will take a vacant Perth tomorrow.
 
Sumatra:  Well, if the KB isn't up north in position to oppose my convoy, my next guess would be that it's down here awaiting a chance to hit the RN carriers.  The next opportunity for something of that nature is coming soon.
 
Vietnam:  John seems to be reinforcing his little stack south of Hanoi.  Five big Chinese units are on the way to Hanoi.  All of them are 100% prepped for Haiphong, but some or all of them could remain in Hanoi if the Japanese threat looks serious.
 
 

2/20/44 and 2/21/44
 
North Pacific:  It looks like the convoy and carrier escort will make Shikuka without interference.  Most of the ships are about six hexes from Shikuka and will arrive there in two days.  The Japs loaded up the airfield at Paramushiro Jima with bombers and fighters, so I thought a strike might be imminent.  I had detached a transport convoy to unload a RCT at Onnekotan Maru, so ordered it to rejoin the main convoy.  Hellcats from the two CVE were designated to provide LRCAP to that TF and another TF that had separated from the main convoy.  The only aircraft that flew from Paramushiro, however, seemed to fly a kamikazee mission against the island of Onnekotan Jima (something like 27 Oscars went down in flames even though I had nothing there except some infantry units).  As noted in previous posts, for several months of game time I gave a great deal of thought as to how I was going to get a big convoy to Sikhalin Island, seeing all kinds of risks attendant with the move.  But it's there now, and I think Sikhalin Island and my other bases are secure - not only because of the reinforcements, but because my ships have enough fuel to fight now, and the Allies have far more battleships available than do the Japs. My carrier capability probably far outweighs the Japs too (while numbers may be fairly equal, quality favors the Allies; that and the LBA that I'll have from Toyohara, Shikuka, and eventually Onnekotan Maru should make it impossible for the Japs to mount a large enough operation to retake any of these bases).  SigInt reported that 18th Army H.Q. is prepping for Toyohara, so I think John is at least considering a major amphibious operation.  I would think it will be timed for the cessation of winter effects, which I think is April 1 (I need to verify).
 
CenPac:  Quiet here as the Allies have moved a few empty transports from Iwo to Hawaii, and a few loaded transports are now arriving at Iwo.
 
SoPac:  The Allies have a small base force at Raratonga, but no aircraft at the moment.
 
SWPac:  A subs reports a Mini-KB just north of New Caledonia (almost certainly the same TF that was south of Shortlands a few days ago).
 
Australia:  Most of the Aussie army is a hex from Tennant Creek and is now moving forward.  The army is at least twice as large as the Jap garrison (150,000 to 75,000) with an AV of more than 2,000.  However, most of my troops are prepping for more advanced positions.  I don't know if the Jap army is prepped for Tennant Creek.  Two Aussie army units are trying to flank the Jap position.  Down south, Aussie units are moving toward the vacant bases south and north of Perth (Albany is the one to the south).
 
Sumatra:  A large British amphibious force departed Sabang and is heading for the Malay coast (actual destination to be revealed later).  I'm concerned that John may have the KB lurking and ready to strike.  A combination of the KB and massed LBA could really hurt my guys.  On the other hand, I have alot of fighters at nearby bases on the north Sumatra coast.  So, I'm splitting my ships.  The amphibous ships with combat TF escorts will proceed under cover of land-based LRCAP (and plenty of it) from Medan and Bankha.  The carriers will hang back a bit and receive LRCAP from Sabang and Medan.  I'll move slowly to see if recon happens to sight any carriers.
 
Vietnam:  The major reinforcements are arriving at Hanoi and will move toward Haiphong in a few days.